Method and apparatus for forming concrete piles



Aug. 28, 1934. O L, NADEL 1,971,692

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CONCRETE FILES Filed Feb. 15. 1932 g2:1NVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 28, I934 PATENT, OFFICE.

METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR FORMING CONCRETE PILES Louis Nadel, New York,

Steel Pile Corporation poration of New York N. Y., assignoi' to PierceNew York, Y., a cor- Application February 15, 1932 Serial No. 592333 12Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming concretepiles, and more par ticularly for sinking into the ground a thin shellin which the pile is subsequently cast.

An object of the invention is to facilitate the sinking of thesecomparatively frail shells.

A further object is to enable such pileforms to be driven against greatresistance and to overcome ground conditions which prevent theinstallation of ordinary cast-in-place concrete piles.

A further object is to obviate any necessity for expensive andtroublesome collapsible driving forms inside the shells.

In accordance with the invention, the shell is provided with anintegral, reinforced, armorclad, pre-cast concrete point. The drivingforce can be applied to the top of this solid point through a simplesolid mandrel, readily removable from the shell.

More specifically, the form comprises a tubular, corrugated shell, asheet or plate metal boot overlapping the end of the shell, and theconcrete point cast in the boot and the lower part of the shell, forminga mechanical bond and affording a point of such strength that it can bedriven like a projectile through timbers, riprap, boulders, etc, to firmbearing. The shell extending upward from the point can be pulled intothe ground, aided or not by gentle pressure.

The steps include the assembling of the shell and boot, the casting ofthe point in'the lower end of theshell, and the sinking of the shell byapplying driving force to the armored and reinforced point. i i j In theaccompanying drawing, forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing a shell and point being driven intothe ground, upper and intermediate portions being broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-seotion on the line 2-2 of Fi 1.

A cylindrical shell 2 is formed of light sheet metal, preferablycorrugated circularly or spiral- 1y, or stiffened in an equivalentmanner to enable it to withstand earth pressure. The lower end of thisshell has a rolled or wire head 3, providing a strong circularreinforcement at this region.

A hollow boot 4, preferably tapering to a rounded point, constitutes anarmor for the concrete body 5 of the point. Such a boot can be easilyand cheaply formed from sheet or plate metal, and may or many not be ofheavier gauge than the shell proper. The upper portion of the boot ispreferably bulged over the reinforcement 3 and is then drawn in to theside of the shell, to which it is integrally united by a weld 6afiording an additional circumferential reinforcement. V

A special reinforcement 7 is placed inside the closed lower end of theshell, and the concrete point 5 is then cast in the boot and. the lowerpart or" the corrugated shell, rigidly bonding the joint and stronglyconnecting the shell with the point, so that there is no possibility ofthe point pulling away from the shell during driving. The embeddedreinforcement 7 is of wire disposed in a broad helix, or otherwise ofsuch nature as to enable the concrete to resist the effect of thedriving force, and more particularly to bind it together against anytendency to split asunder under the stress of resultant forces actingoutward from the center.

' The form and point are driven into the ground by means of a hollow,rigid mandrel 8, which may be allowed a free clearance in the shell. Thelower end of this mandrel is provided with a blunt end piece 9 adaptedto distribute the force of the blows over the top of the concrete body5. This end may be slightly coned or convexed, in which event theconcrete point is formed with a corresponding concavity at the top.

After the form has been driven to the proper resistance, the drivingmandrel is lifted out and theshell is filled with concrete. 7 It will beunderstood that the shell may be extended by any suitable number ofsections of any desired length,- and that the mandrel may also beextended by, adding sections.

The preferred embodiment and method of execution of the invention havebeen described in detail, but it will be evident that variousmodifications are-permissible.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the construction of concrete piles in the ground,comprising a sheet-metal shell to be sunk to serve as a permanent formfor the casting of a pile, a pre-cast, concrete point connected to thelower end of the shell by a connection of sufficient strength to pullthe shell into the ground when a driving force is applied to theconcrete point by a mandrel within the shell, and an armor connected tothe shell and covering the face of the concrete point to protect it frombreakage so that it is capable of penetrating against great resistanceand through soil containing obstructions.

2. In apparatus for the construction ofconcrete piles in the ground, thecombination of a sheet-metal shell, a pre-cast concrete driving point inthe lower part of the shell, the lower portion of said concrete drivingpoint extending beyond the bottom edge of the shell, and a bootconnected to the shell and covering the driving face of the concretepoint to serve as an armor for the concrete point.

3. In apparatus for the construction of concrete piles in the ground,the combination of a sheet-metal shell, a hollow boot connected to theshell, and a pre-cast concrete driving point in the boot and the lowerpart of the shell, so that a mandrel inside the shell and applyingdriving force to said point will pull the shell into the ground.

4. In apparatus for the construction of concrete piles in the ground,the combination of a corrugated sheet-metal shell, a sheet-metal bootoverlapping the lower end of the shell and connected therewith, and abody .of. concrete, with internal reinforcement, pre-cast in said bootand the lower end of the shell, bonding the same and forming areinforced armored point of great strength adapted to receive drivingforce applied through a mandrel and capable of penetrating against greatresistance.

5. In apparatus for the construction of concrete piles in the ground,the combination of a corrugated sheet-metal shell having a reinforcementbead around its lower end, a sheet-metal boot, the top of which extendsupward over the reinforced lower end of the shell, a concrete pointpre-cast in said boot and the lower part of the shell, and reinforcingmeans embedded in said concrete point. 7 w

6. In apparatus for the construction of concrete piles in the ground,the combination of a corrugated sheet-metal shell having a reinforcementbead around its lower end, a sheet-metal boot, the top of which extendsupward over the reinforced lower end of the shell, a weld uniting thetop of the boot to the outside of the shell, a concrete point pre-castin said boot and the lower part of the shell, and reinforcing meansembedded in said concrete point. i I

'7. The method of constructing concrete piles which comprises attachingan armor boot to the lower end of a sheet metal shell, introducingconcrete in the boot and the lower part of the shell to form a point,after the concrete has set sinking the shell and boot into the ground bya driving force transmitted through the interior of the shell to theconcrete point, and thereafter introducing additional concrete into theshell to complete the pile.

8. Apparatus for the construction of concrete piles, comprising atubular sheet-metal shell formed with circularly extending corrugationsfor stiffening the shell to withstand earth pressure,

a bead at the lower end of the shell providing a strong circularreinforcement at this region, a hollow sheet-metal boot having atapering point at its lower end and having its upper portion bulged overthe bead and welded to the shell, a reinforced concrete point pre-castin the hollow boot and lower end of the shell, and reinforcing wire inthe concrete and extending circularly around the axis of the shell tobind the concrete together against resultant forces acting outward fromthe center when the assembly is driven into the ground by means of amandrel applied to the upper side of the reinforced concrete point.

9. In apparatus for the construction of concrete piles in the ground,the combination of a sheetmetal shell having a reinforcement bead aroundits lower end, a sheet-metal boot, the top of which extends upward overthe reinforced lower end of the shell, and a concrete point pre-cast insaid boot and the lower part of the shell.

10. In apparatus for the construction of concrete piles in the ground,the combination of a sheet-metal shell having a reinforcement beadaround its lower end, a sheet-metal boot, the top of which extendsupward over the reinforced lower end of the shell, a weld uniting thetop of the boot to the outside of the shell, and a concrete pointpre-cast in said boot and the lower part of the shell.

11. In apparatus for the construction of concrete piles in the ground,the combination of a metal shell for serving as a permanent form for thecasting of a pile, and a body of pre-cast con crete covered with armorto form a driving point capable of penetrating against great resistance,said point being connected to the shell by a connection of sumoientstrength to pull said shell into the ground when the point is driveninto the ground by means of a mandrel which extends within the shell andcontacts with the upper side of the pre-cast concrete point.

12. Apparatus for the construction of concrete piles,- comprising atubular sheet-metal shell formed with corrugations for stiffening theshell to withstand earth pressure, a bead at the lower end of the shellproviding a strong reinforcement at this region, a hollow sheet-metalboot having a tapering point at its lower end and having its upperportion bulged over the bead and welded to the shell, a reinforcedconcrete point pre-cast in the hollow boot and lower end of the shell,and reinforcing wire in the concrete to bind the concrete togetheragainst resultant disrupting forces when the assembly is driven into theground by means of a mandrel applied to the upper side of the reinforcedconcrete point.

LOUIS NADEL.

